Rock unter den Eichen (RUDE Festival)

Festival without Frills in the Stendaler Land

In the state of Saxony-Anhalt, in the Stendal district, a Metal Open Air has carved out a firm place for itself since 2004, one that consciously wants to remain small: the RUDE Festival — Rock unter den Eichen. The venue is the festival grounds Unter den Eichen 1 in the district of Bertingen, part of the Hanseatic city of Tangermünde. Three days of Metal in the forest, two stages, around 1,500 visitors, no large-scale sponsor branding, but instead campfires and sound.

Musical Profile

RUDE focuses on what has defined the German Metal underground scene for decades: Death Metal from Scandinavia and Central Europe, Black Metal with character, symphonic and technical variations, plus Old-School Doom and a dash of Hardcore. In 2026, VOMITORY (Swedish Death Metal legends) will headline Friday, Jungle Rot will be co-headliners, Non Est Deus on Saturday, along with Chaos And Confusion, Iron Priest, V8 Wankers, Servant, and Horn. A total of 18+ bands.

Festival Vibe

If you find the big Wacken spectacle too polished, this is the place for you. RUDE is the familial sister of the major Metal festivals: Schwarze Bock stage for the underground acts, main stage under oak trees, camping in the forest, bratwurst and beer at club prices, a friendly, regular-guest vibe. The Hanseatic city of Tangermünde with its medieval brick architecture is just a few minutes away — perfect for a Sunday stroll to recover.